Treasury Secretary Bessent says US entering 'endgame' with Iran, will sever economic lifelines

"At dawn begins an economic D-Day [against Iran], the single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote in an opinion piece in the Financial Times on Sunday, echoing US President Donald Trump's statements on Truth Social last week.
"Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone," he added.

The US military has "significantly dismantled Iran's military capabilities and weakened its nuclear programme. Now we are entering endgame," Bessent wrote.

"President Trump has decimated Iran's economy to a point where the rial has never been weaker and inflation has rarely been higher," Bessent said in the FT, "The regime’s final refuge now lies in the self-deception of fearful nations that still believe accommodating aggression can secure a durable peace."
"Those who sever Iran’s remaining financial and commercial connectivity will reinvigorate their own. They will deepen their access to global capital, reinforce confidence in their markets and attain the standing they seek in the world economy."

The treasury secretary added that continued economic support will have negative consequences, saying "any nation that serves as a financial artery of a withering regime should expect to share in its isolation."
"Those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington," he said, "Any remaining tie to Tehran will hasten the economic ostracism of countries and entities, whether that tie be purposefully constructed or wilfully ignored."